Stephen Slevin 's 22 months in solitary confinement in a county jail left him traumatized and physically weak , but he 'll soon be a multimillionaire for his suffering .

The New Mexico county that locked him up on a drunk driving charge , isolated him from other inmates and accused of essentially forgetting about him for nearly two years agreed this week to settle his lawsuit for $ 15.5 million .

Slevin , now 59 , went to jail in August 2005 as `` a well nourished , physically healthy adult , '' but emerged with a long beard , bed sores , bad teeth and weighing just 133 pounds in June 2007 , according to the lawsuit .

Jailers separated Slevin from other inmates because of his history of mental illness , according to the lawsuit filed by Albuquerque civil rights attorney Matthew Coyte in December 2008 .

The charges of driving while intoxicated and receiving a stolen vehicle were never prosecuted .

`` They threw him in solitary and then ignored him , '' said Coyte a year ago after a federal jury awarded Slevin $ 22 million . `` He disappeared into delirium , and his mental illness was made worse by being isolated from human contact and a lack of medical care . ''

Slevin suffers from post-traumatic stress from what he called physical and mental mistreatment by corrections officials in Dona Ana County , which shares a border with Mexico in the southern part of the state .

The county 's commissioners agreed this week to drop their appeal of the jury 's verdict in return for Slevin accepting the lesser amount .

`` The Board of County Commissioners deeply regrets the harm Mr. Slevin suffered during this period , '' the county said in a statement Thursday . `` Over the past seven years , Dona Ana County has made significant improvements to detention center staffing , training , facilities and procedures . Dona Ana County is committed to ensuring consistent and appropriate treatment of every detainee in its care . ''

Slevin 's lawsuit alleged he became malnourished , lost significant weight , developed bedsores , fungus and dental problems and was not aware of his situation or surroundings .

He was transferred to another state facility for two weeks , given a psychiatric evaluation and then sent back to the Dona Ana County Detention Center , where he was again placed in solitary confinement . Coyte said Slevin did receive a brief competency hearing a year into his imprisonment , but the case against the man never proceeded .

After 22 months as a pretrial detainee , Slevin was released and the charges dismissed . He then filed suit , claiming his rights of due process were violated since he was not given a hearing before being placed in solitary confinement .

Photos taken before and after his confinement show dramatic appearance changes . The plaintiff said things were so bad he was forced to pull his own tooth while in custody , and that his pleas for help were dismissed .

In pretrial motions , the county denied `` that there was lack of medical care . For most of the other allegations , officials either denied them or said they were `` without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief '' of the veracity of the claims .

Coyte told CNN he and Slevin hope their victory would `` help bring a stop to the use of solitary confinement in America . Other countries recognize it as a form of torture , whereas America uses it as a routine method of incarceration . ''

`` The families and friends of the people who have been subjected to this barbaric treatment know what we are talking about , '' Coyte wrote in an e-mail . `` They see the effects of it every day . Hopefully Stephen 's story can make a difference to them and others who are currently sitting in a concrete cell 23 hours a day . ''

The county said it has taken `` bold steps '' to improve the 846-bed jail , which it said would make it `` the model for detention centers and the care of the mentally ill in the state of New Mexico . ''

`` In the wake of this large settlement , we can say definitively that we have learned from the past , '' its statement said . `` We can also say with confidence that we are leading the way for the future . ''

Slevin continues to have serious medical issues , and is fighting lung cancer , his lawyer said .

`` Stephen is optimistic in his ongoing battle with cancer and is doing as well as can be expected while undergoing some pretty difficult treatments , '' Coyte wrote . `` Mentally , he will always suffer the effects of his inhumane treatment at the hands of Dona Ana County . The money can never replace what they took from him . ''

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`` They threw him in solitary and then ignored him '' for 22 months , Stephen Slevin 's lawyer says

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He left jail with bed sores , bad teeth and lost weight , a lawsuit said

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A federal jury awarded Slevin $ 22 million a year ago

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New Mexico county drops appeal , says it has made detention improvements